Baldwin City man remains jailed on sex charges

A Baldwin City man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two felony charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

The 42-year-old suspect was a friend of the victim's family, who had been called over to their house on Aug. 23, said Baldwin Police Chief Michael McKenna.

"After he had finished visiting with the two adults, the husband and wife, he stayed around the house to watch television with some of the kids that were present," McKenna said. "A short time later, the wife walked into the living room area and observed him touching a teenage girl; rubbing her thighs with one hand and gratifying himself with the other."

The man ran from the house when he was caught, McKenna said, but was arrested and booked into jail Monday morning. The Journal-World generally does not name suspects in sex crimes unless they are convicted.

Prosecutors charged the man with lewd fondling or touching of the girl, who is now 14. The man was also involved in lewd fondling or touching of the girl, between July and August 2007, when the girl was 13, prosecutors said.

"In talking to the girl, we learned that (the suspect) had prior contact with her," McKenna said. "She told us about that."

The suspect is being held in the Douglas County Jail. On Tuesday, his bond was set at $250,000, court records said. His next court appearance has been scheduled for Sept. 4 in Douglas County District Court.